Method and machine for assembling parts of automatic circuit breaker sub-assemblies



Nov. 20, 1956 H. M. COLE ET AL 2,771,541

' METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING PARTS OF AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER SUB-ASSEMBLIES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 12 1951 INVENTORS m dc Nov. 20, 1956 H. M. COLE ETAL 2,

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING PARTS OF AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER SUB-ASSEMBLIES Filed May 12. 1951 3 Sheecs-Sheet 2 FIG. I3

IN V EN TORS Dmmv WALLACE ALcorT BY HERBERT M. COLE Hum, C

ATTok/VE Y5 Nov. 20, 1956 H. M. COLE ET AL 2,771,541 ASSEMBLING PARTS OF AUTOMATIC BAKER SUB-ASSEMBLIES METHOD AND MACHINE FOR CIRCUIT BR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 12 1951 V w s N2 ME! m Onn w mo T MA VE m M BY HERBERT M. COLE United States Patent METHOD AND MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING PARTS OF AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER SUB-ASSEMBLIES Herbert M. Cole, Teaneck, and David Wallace Alcott, Hillside, N. J., assignors to Federal Electric Products Company, Newark, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application May 12, 1951, Serial No. 225,954

17 Claims. (Cl. 219-117) The present invention relates generally to apparatus for producing sub-assemblies for automatic circuit breakers, and in particular to mechanism for connecting the terminal member thereof to the control device thereof.

The patent to H. A. Humpage, Re. 23,188, dated January 10, 1950, discloses a circuit breaker provided with a sub-assembly of the general type to which the present invention relates. This type of circuit breaker sub-assembly includes a pivotally mounted switch member or contact arm'and a control device for'controlling the actuation of said switch member, said control device being connected through a flexible conductor to a terminal member for the circuit breaker. Heretofore, by a series of separate hand operations, a predetermined length of the flexible conductor was measured and cut from a supply thereof and then said length was secured at one end thereof to the terminal member and at the other end thereof to the control device. This of course was both a time consuming and costly procedure. In addition, it did not always result in a precision assembly. Automatic breakers, for the most part, are housed in molded casings, and, unless the sub-assembly is precision assembled, difficulties may be encountered in making the casings hold the various parts of the circuit breaker in perfect alignment. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the deficiencies and disadvantages of the prior art in the manufacture of automatic circuit breakers.

Another object is to provide mechanism for automatically severing a predetermined length of flexible conductor, provided with a terminal member, from a supply thereof and welding said length to a control device for the automatic circuit breaker.

A further object is to provide means in said mechanism whereby the severing operation is a function of the welding operation.

A further object is the provision in said mechanism of means for adjusting the length of flexible conductor which is severed from the supply thereof.

A further object is to generally simplify the method of manufacturing automatic circuit breakers in order to produce a more efficient circuit breaker at a smaller cost.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of mechanism pursuant to the present invention, the mechanism being illustrated between welding operations with a terminal contact in position to be withdrawn prior to a welding operation;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a cam complement associated with the mechanism of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 in Fig. l, of a portion of the mechanism showing the position said portion assumes when the terminal Contact has been withdrawn for the welding operation;

Patented Nov. 20, 1956 Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section and on a reduced scale, taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view, partly in section and on a reduced scale, taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8--8 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a view of a portion of the mechanism as seen from the line 9-9 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 1010 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 11 is a view looking in the direction of line 11-11 in Fig. 6, a portion being broken away from purposes of illustration;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, a work holder on the adjacent turret being included, and the mechanism being in position to cut a length of braid and weld the cut-end to the thermal latch;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view, in elevation, taken along the line 1313 in Fig. 12, portions being omitted for purposes of illustration; and

Fig. 14 is a plan view showing a terminal contact provided with a braid length welded to a thermal latch, as provided by the mechanism of Fig. 1.

In its present use, the mechanism of the present invention constitutes one of a plurality of stations in an apparatus for assembling the sub-assembly of an automatic circuit. In that apparatus, the work is carried to and from a plurality of stations at which various operations are performed for assembling the sub-assembly of the circuit breaker, the mechanism of the present invention being presently used at one of said stations. The work is carried to and from these stations by work holders provided on a pair of turrets which are intermittently rotated in timed relation to each other, to position the work holders, in succession at the various stations associated with each turret, while the particular operation is being performed at each of the various stations. At the station provided with the mechanism of the present invention, a predetermined length of flexible conductor is cut from a supply thereof. Said length is already provided with a terminal member and is welded to a control device which has been carried to the station by a work holder on one of said turrets. During the course of the operation of the entire apparatus, a portion of the subassembly, which has been assembled at one of the turrets, is transferred to the other turret and consolidated with the sub-assembly portion already assembled on the lat ter to provide the completed sub-assembly for the circuit breaker.

The flexible conductor for the circuit breaker subassembly is supplied at the station provided with the mechanism of our invention in the form of a continuous metallic braid supply 100, provided with the terminal members or contacts 102, here shown as being of the stab type, secured thereto at equally spaced intervals, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Mechanism is provided at this station for advancing a predetermined length 103 (Fig. 14) of said braid, provided with one stab contact, cutting said length from the braid supply and welding the cut end thereof to the thermal latch 104 of a control device here shown as a thermal latch and magnet unit 105 of a circuit breaker mechanism, the finished product produced at this station being illustrated in Fig. 14.

The mechanism at this station is mounted on a suitable support 106 (Fig. 6) which is provided with a slideway 108. A carriage 110 is disposed for reciprocation in said slideway in the direction of the arrows 112 in Fig. 1. The slideway 108 is provided with guide rails 114114 which are received in longitudinal grooves 116-116 defined in the carriage 110. In order to provide for said reciprocation of the carriage, the latter is provided with the rib portions 118-118 between the free ends of which there is pivotally secured the end 120 of a link 122. At its other end 124, said link is pivotally secured to a lever 126 which is pivotally mounted, as at 128, to a bracket member 130 which is mounted on a channel iron 132 forming part of the framework of the apparatus. At its lower end, the lever 126 is provided with an inclined portion 134 mounting a cam follower 136 which rides on the periphery of a cam 138 shaped to effect pivotal movement of the lever. The cam 138 is carried on a shaft 140 which is continuously rotated in the direction of the arrow 142 in Fig. 5. Below its pivot 128, the lever 126 is connected with the compression springs 144144 which are also connected to a bracket 146 provided on the channel iron 132. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the cam follower 136 is riding on the high dwell portion 148 of the cam 138 so that the lever 126 is pivoted, against the bias of springs 144-144, in a direction to move the carriage 110 to the projected position thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 1. When the cam follower 136 rides off the high dwell portion 148 and onto the cam fall portion 149, the springs 144, which are expanded in the projected position of the carriage, contract to pivot the lever 126 in the opposite direction for moving the carriage 116 to its retracted position, in which the carriage dwells while the follower rides on the low dwell portion 151 of the cam.

The carriage 110 is provided with a laterally extending table which supports the mechanism for supplying the braid 1% to the apparatus and with a mounting 152 which mounts the mechanism for drawing a predetermined length of the braid from the mechanism mounted on the table 150.

Referring now in detail to the mechanism provided on the table 150, said mechanism comprises a laterally extending braid guideway 154 mounted on an upright part 155 carried by the table. A mounting bracket 156 for a roller 158 is carried at the entrance to the guideway, as illustrated in Fig. 6. The roller 158 is provided with a central groove 160 to accommodate the braid 100 and with the raised lateral portions 162162, at the sides thereof, on which the arms 164 of the stab contact ride, said arms being retained in position on the portions 162 by overlying portions of the roller, as illustrated in Fig. 11. It will be noted, as illustrated in Fig. 6, that the braid travels upwardly to reach the roller 158 so that the stab members 102 are in a vertically disposed position as they approach the roller 158. As the arms 164 engage in the roller and ride on the portions 162162 of the latter, the braid is positioned in the groove 168 and the stab contact assumes a horizontal position in its travel over the roller. A housing 166 is mounted at the entrance 'of'the braid guideway 154 to receive the braid as it leaves the roller. Said housing is provided with a spring pressed shoe 168, and a rod 171) carried by the shoe extends through the top wall 171 of the housing. A spring 172 mounted on the rod and compressed between the shoe and the top wall, biases the shoe against the upper surface of the guideway. Said shoe is provided with a cam shaped lower surface 174, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 10, which cooperates with an opposing cam portion 176 provided in the guideway 154 to assure that the stab contacts 162 are positioned in a horizontal plane as they enter the guideway 154. The guideway is provided with a central groove 178 which receives the braid 100 and with the overlying guide parts 180 and 182 which engage the arms 164 of the stab contact for retaining the latter in the guideway, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 12.

A carriage 184 is mounted on the guideway for reciprocation in the direction of the arrows 185 in Fig. '6.

More specifically, the guideway 154 is provided with the guide slots 188 at each side thereof, said guide slots extending rearwardly from the outlet end of the guideway. The carriage 184 is provided with the confronting portions 186-186 (Fig. 8), which ride in said slots. In order to provide for the reciprocation of the carriage 184, the latter is provided with a depending bracket 190 to which there is secured the end 192 of a pivot member 194 which is pivoted, as at 196, on an abutment 197 on the previously mentioned table part 155. The other end 192 of pivot member 194 is secured to one end of a compression spring 200, the other end of which is secured to the table 150 as at 152. The end 198 of said pivot member is provided with a fixed link 202, the free end of which is in engagement with a horizontally disposed rod 284. When rod 204 is moved in the direction of arrow 2.06, in Fig. 6, as hereinafter described, it will be apparent that the link 194 will pivot in a counterclockwise direction, viewing Fig. 6, to move the carriage 184 toward the roller 158. As a result of said pivotal movement of the member 194, the spring 200 is expanded so that when the rod 204 is released for the return movement thereof, as hereinafter described, the spring contracts and pivots the member 194 in a clockwise direction or moving the carriage 184 in a direction away from the roller 158.

Cooperating jaw members 208-2ti8 aremounted for pivotal movement on the upper surface of the carriage 184 as at 210. Adjacent the forward end thereof, each jaw 208 is provided with a pin 212 which extends therethrough, a compression spring 214 (Fig. 8) being secured between said pins to bias the forward ends of said jaw members toward each other. As illustrated in Fig. 13, a portion of each side wall 216 of the guideway 154 terminates inwardly of the upper guide. part 180 or 182, as the case may be, to provide a recess 218 for the entrance of the forward end of the jaw member 208 into the guideway. At said recesses, the wall portions 216 are each cut-away, as at 220, to provide clearance for said jaw members. In the projected position of the carriage 184, as illustrated in Fig. l, the jaw members 208, extending into the recesses 218, are at a predeter mined position at the forward end of the guideway 154. When the carriage is retracted, the forward ends of the jaws are carried rearwardly in the guideway to the position illustrated in Fig. 12. It will be understood that the tension of spring 214 is such that a stab contact 102 being advanced between the converging jaws will open said jaws against the bias of said spring, the jaws converging again When the stab arms 164 move past the forward ends thereof.

Referring now to Fig. 12, a stab contact 102A is shown in position at the outlet or delivery end of the guideway 154, and it will be understood that said stab contact will be the next one to advance, to the position of stab contact 102B, after the braid length 103, outwardly of said end, is cut and welded to the thermal latch 104, as illustrated therein, and as hereinafter explained. When said braid length 103 is severed from the braid in the guideway, the latter is withdrawn back into the guideway by the action of gravity, it being noted that the braid travels upwardly to the roller 158, as previously described. However, as the foremost stab contact, as at 1112A, is carried back into the guideway, it is engaged by the jaw members 208 to terminate said withdrawal of the braid by gravity. More specifically, said jaw members engage the body of the stab contact immediately behind the arms 164 thereof. Upon the movement of the carriage 184 to the projected position thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the engaged stab contact is carried by the jaw members to a predetermined position at the outlet of the guideway. In said predetermined position the contact arms 164 are positioned outwardly of the guideway. As hereinafter described, said foremost stab contact 102A is thereafter completely withdrawn from 'the guideway for the next braid severing and welding operation. As said foremost stab contact is withdrawn, the jaws 208 are retracted back along the guideway, the succeeding stab contact being advanced between the closed jaw ends, as previously indicated. It will be noted that the carriage 184 is provided with detents 222 which are engaged by the jaw tails 223, as illustrated in Fig. 1, to limit the contraction of said aws.

Due to the previously described action of the jaw members 208 in engaging the foremost stab contact after the braid is cut, it will be apparent that the braid in the guideway can not fall out of the guideway by the action of gravity. In addition, the action of the jaw members to intercept said foremost stab contact, at the predetermined retracted position of the carriage 184, and then to carry said stab contact to a predetermined position at the outlet end of the guideway, serves to compensate for variations in the spacing of the stab contacts along the braid, as will be understood.

The previously mentioned mounting member 152 supports 'a slideway 224 in which a carriage 226 is mounted for reciprocation, as indicated by the arrows 228 in Fig. 1. In order to effect said reciprocation of the carriage 226, the latter is provided with a tapering end portion 230 in which there is mounted a rotatable post :232 provided at the lower end thereof with a roller 234, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The slideway 224 is provided with a central longitudinally extending slot 236 and the post 232 extends into said slot. The roller 234 i slidably and rotatably mounted in the track portion 238 of a crank arm 240 which is mounted for pivotal movement, as indicated by the arrows 242 in Fig. 1. It will be noted that the track portion 238 is disposed below the slideway 224, for movement to and from the full line position thereof and the broken line position thereof in Fig. 1. More specifically, when the arm 240 is pivoted from the full line position thereof to the broken line position thereof, it will be apparent that the roller 234 will be carried into the track 238 and thereby move the carriage 226 outwardly from the position thereof in Fig. l to the retracted position thereof. Conversely, upon pivotal movement of the arm 240 back toward the position thereof illustrated in full line in Fig. 1, the carriage 226 will be carried to the projected position thereof. In order to provide 'for said pivotal movement of the arm 240, the latter is carried on a shaft 244 which extends through a bearing member 246 (Fig. 6) and through the support 106 to engage in the collar 248 provided on a lever 250. The other end of the lever 250 is pivotally engaged with one end of a lever 252, the other end of which is pivotally engaged with one end of a bell crank lever 254 which is pivotally mounted as at 256 'on a bracket 258 carried by a portion of the frame. The other end of the bell crank lever 254 is connected to one end of a compression spring 260, the other end of which is secured to the frame as at 262. Said other end of the bell crank lever is also pivotally engaged with a depending link 264 which is pivoted to one end of a lever 266 (Fig. 2) the other end of which is pivoted on the channel member 132 as at 268. Adjacent the free end thereof, the lever 266 is provided with a cam follower 270 which rides on a earn 272 mounted on the continuously rotating shaft 140. Therefore, it will be apparent that when the roller 270 rides on the rise portion 274 of the cam 27-2, the link 264 will move 'upwardly against the bias of the spring 260 to pivot the bell crank lever 254 against the bias of said spring to move the link 252 in a direction to rotate the collar 248 and the shaft 244 mounted therein in a counterclockwise direction, viewing Fig. 1, for carrying the carriage to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 in which the latter dwells while the roller rides 'on the cam dwell 273. When the roller 270 rides off the dwell portion 273 and onto the cam tall 275, spring 260 contracts to carry link 264 downwardly and the bell crank lever 2'54 pivots in the opposite direction to cause the shaft 244 to pivot in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 1, to carry the arm 240 and the carriage 226 to the retracted position thereof, as indicated in broken line in Fig. 1. The carriage dwells in said later position while the roller rides on the cam dwell 27 7.

The carriage 226 is provided with a compressed air or pneumatic cylinder 284 provided with a plunger 286. An air hose 288 interconnects the cylinder 284 and an air valve 290 which is connected to a compressed air supply (not illustrated) through an air hose 292. The air valve 290 is provided with an actuator 294 which is engaged by a cam 296 carried by the continuously rotating shaft 140. It will be understood that when the actuator 294 rides on the dwell 295 of the cam 296, the air valve 290 is open so that compressed air is supplied to the cylinder 284 for projecting the plunger 286 therefrom.

The plunger 286 abuts a pusher 287 on one end 288 of a bell crank lever 291 which is pivoted as at 293 on a bracket 295 carried by the carriage 226. At its other end the bell crank lever 291 is pivoted to one end of a link 297, the other end of which is engaged with one end of a plunger 298. Said plunger 298 extends through an end wall 300 (Fig. 8) at one end of a cylindrical housing 302 carried by the carriage 226. The plunger 298, at the end thereof internally of the housing 302, is provided with a cam portion 304. A pair of jaw members 306-306 are pivot-ally mounted, as at 308-308, on an extending portion of the housing-so that the grasping ends 310 of said jaw members are disposed outwardly of the housing. Said grasping ends 310 are interconnected by a spring member 312 which biases said ends in a direction away from each other. When the cam portion 304 of plunger 298 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 8, wherein it engages the tails 314 of the jaw members 306, the latter are retained in the closed or grasping condition thereof. However, when the plunger 298 is moved in the direction of the arrow 316 in Fig. 8, the cam portion 304 thereof is moved out of engagement with the jaw tails 314 so that the spring 312 is free to expand to carry the grasping ends 310 away from each other. Therefore, it will be apparent that when compressed air is supplied to the cylinder 284 to project the plunger 286, the bell crank lever 290 is pivoted in a direction to position the cam 304 as indicated in Fig. 8, for closing the jaw members 308. In this connection, it will be noted that the stab contact 102 is provided with a groove 316 (Fig. 14) in one arm thereof to facilitate the grasping of said arm by the jaw members 306, as hereinafter described. A spring 318 has one end thereof connected to the link 296 as indicated at 320, the other end thereof being secured to the housing 302 as indicated at 322. Therefore, it will be apparent that when the supply of compressed air to the cylinder 284 is discontinued, the spring 318 will be effective to move the plunger 298 inwardly of the posit-ion illustrated in Fig. 8 whereby the spring 312 will be effective to open the grasping ends 310 of the jaw members 306 to release the stab contact.

The carriage 226 is also provided with a downwardly extending bracket member 324 having a depending portion 326 (Fig. 6) which is apertured as at 328. The previously mentioned rod 204 is in sliding engagement in said aperture 328 and is provided with the adjustable nuts 330 at the free end thereof. Therefore, it will be apparent that as the carriage 226 is moved in the slideway 224 in the direction of the arrow 206 in Fig. 6, the bracket portion 326 will engage the nuts 330 and carry the rod 204 in said direction for pivoting the member 194 in a counterclockwise direction to carry the carriage 184, provided with the jaw members 208, in a direction toward the roller 158 for retracting said jaw members, as previously explained. Upon the return movement of the carriage 226, the rod 204 is moved in the opposite direction by the contraction of spring 200, as previously explained, for pivoting the member 194 in the opposite direction. Said return movement of the member 194, and thereby the forward movement of the carriage 134, is limited by the engagement of a pin 332 carried by the member 194 aginst 'a detent 334 provided on the upright portion 155 of the table 150 on which the slideway 154 is mounted.

In order to provide for the cutting of the brand, the

table 150 is provided with a support member 338 which extends above the guideway 154, as illustrated in Pig. 6. A rotary shaft 340 (Fig. '9) extends through the support, being journalled for rotation therein, and having one end thereof extending through a bushing 342 to engage in a collar 344 at one end of a lever 346. The otherend of the lever is secured to one end of a spring 3 th as at the other end of the spring being secured to the table 150. A knife carrier 352 is mounted on the free end of the rotatable shaft 340 as at 354. A knife 356 ex tends through the holder 352, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the cutting edge thereof being indicated at 358. Said holder is also provided, adjacent the free end thereof, with a generally U-shaped opening 36%. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the reciprocating electrode 362 of an electric spot welder extends into the opening 360 in the holder 35 2, a plate 364 carried on the electrode cylinder 366 abutting the free end of the holder 352 adjacent the opening 36d therein. Said welder is of a known type, and as the welder per se does not constitute apart of this invention, further illustration thereof is considered to be unnecessary. The opposing stationary welder electrode is indicated at 368, said latter electrode being carried on a post 37% which extends through an aperture 372 defined in the support 106 and through an opening 373 in the carriage 110. It will be understood that the welder is operated in timed sequence with the operation of the remaining mechanism at the subject station through any suitable means.

From the foregoing, it Will be understood that when a stab contact has been withdrawn from the guideway 154 to position a braid length 103 on a thermal latch 1M disposed on the stationary electrode 368, as illustrated in Fig. 12, as is hereinafter described in detail, the welding cylinder 366 will descend and carry the knife holder 354 toward the braid, against the bias of spring 343,

mount-ing member 374 (Fig. 7) which is provided at the lower end thereof with a clamp 376 which is adapted to engage the thermal latch unit 105 and retain the latter in position on the stationary electrode 368 during the welding operation. When, at the termination of the welding operation, the welding cylinder 366 is raised, the spring 343, which had expanded upon the downward pivoting of the knife holder 352 will be effective to return the latter to the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 6.

The thermal latch units 105 are carried to the stationary electrode 368 by the work holders 378. In order to provide for the correct positioning of the latch 10d on the stationary electrode, there is provided a. guide plate 38% which is positioned in the path of movement of. the latch units as they are carried to said electrode. More specifically, the upper peripheral edge 382 of the plate ass is inclined upwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 6, in the direction of movement of. said latch units by the work holders 373. Therefore, it will be understood that the free end of the latch 104 engages on said edge 382 and rides thereupon to be positioned directly on the electhe groove 31 6 therein.

8 trode 368 when the work holder comes to rest at the subject station where it remains during the welding operation.

in the operation of the mechanism at the subject station, it will be apparent that the braid is initially threaded onto the roller158 and positioned in the guideway 154.

Assuming now that a braid severing and welding operation has been completed, the carriage 1% begins to move in the direction of arrow 379, in Fig. 12, away from the work holder 378 so that the carriage 184 on the guideifi ole-a rs the work holder for the next movement of the latter in the direction indicated by the arrow 350 in Fig. 12. As the carriage 119 returns to the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 1, the carriage 226 is moved inwardly toward the right, viewing said figure. As a result of said latter movement, the ember 32-6 on said latter carriage disengages the nuts 33th on rod 204 whereupon the jaws 208 move forwardly in guideway 1'54, and, as previously described, carry the foremost stab contact 192A to the predetermined position thereof illustrated in Fig. 12. The jaws 366 at the termination of said inward movement of the carriage 2216, are positioned about the aim 16d of the stab contact provided with It will be understood that said jaws are in open condition,'hav-ing released a stab contact at the end of the prior welding operation. The air valve 2% is now operated so that the plunger 286 is pro jected from the air cylinderzdd and the jaws 31M grasp the stab contact as a result of the movement of the plunger 2% in a direction outwardly of the housing 362. It will be understood that the air valve remains open so that compressed air is supplied to the air cylinder 228 until the termination of a welding operation whereby the jaws 3% remain closed until the termination of the welding operation. As soon as the jaws grasp the stab Contact, the carriage 2% begins to move in the opposite directiomto withdraw the stab contact and a predetermined length 103 of braid from the guideway 154. it will be noted that the arm 2% is provided with an adjustable stoplifid (Fig. l) which abuts a frame portion 386 at the maximum movement of said carriage 226 in said opposite direction. Therefore, it will be apparent, that since said movement results in the withdrawal of a stab contact and a braid length 11.03 from the .guideway 154, that the length of the braid that is withdrawn may be adjusted by the adjustment of the stop 384. The carriage begins to move toward the welding electrode 363 while the braid is being withdrawn from the guideway 154 so that when the carriage 1.10 reaches the position that it maintains during the welding operation, a predetermined length M3 of braid has already been withdrawn from the guideway 154. During the movement of the carriage toward said electrode 368, the succeeding work holder 378 has moved into position to deposit a latch member 104 on the stationary electrode 368 so that, at the completion of the movement of the carriage 11d, the braid length 103 is in position on the upper surface of the free end of the latch 104, as illustrated in Fig. 12. The welding electrode 362 now begins to descend and carries the knife holder 352 down with it so that the knife edge 358 severs the braid adjacent "the stab contact which is now in position at the exit of the guideway 154. Substantially simultaneously therewith the welding electrode 364- engages the. severed end of the braid to perform the welding operation. It will be noted that during the withdrawal of the braid by the jaws 3&6, the carriage 184 has moved in the opposite direction to retract the ends of the jaw members 2&8 rearwardly into the guideway 154, the following stab contact moving between and past said jaws. At the termination of said welding operation, the welding electrode 362 is raised, whereupon the knife holder 352 is returned to the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 6 by spring 34-3. Substantially at the termination of the welding operation, the supply ofair to the air cylinder 284 is discontinued so that the plunger 298 moves inwardly of the housing 302 and the jaws 310 release the stab contact which is now secured to a thermal latch by the braid length 103 Welded thereto. The carriage 110 now begins to return to the position thereof illustrated in Fig. 1 so that the carriage 184 is moved out of the path of movement of the Work holder 378 whereupon said work holder now carries the welded thermal latch and braid length 103 away from the subject station and a succeeding work holder moves into position with the following thermal latch unit. The cycle is now repeated for the succeeding welding operation.

While the mechanism of the present invention has been described herein in connection with its present use, with the apparatus mentioned above including a plurality of stations for assembling the subassembly of an automatic circuit breaker, it may be used separately.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the present invention without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Feeding apparatus for flexible conductor wire having a plurality of electric terminal prong members attached thereto at points spaced longitudinally of said wire, each terminal member being attached adjacent one end thereof to said wire and said wire extending beyond the opposite end of each terminal member, said apparatus comprising means for retaining said prong members against movement relative to said wire, means operable upon the leading prong member to dispose the latter at a severing station and means operable to grasp the leading prong member at said station for withdrawing a predetermined length of wire from said retaining means 2. Feeding apparatus for flexible conductor wire having a plurality of electric terminal prong members attached thereto at points spaced longitudinally of said wire, each terminal member being attached adjacent one end thereof to said wire and said wire extending be- .yond the opposite end of each terminal member, said apparatus comprising guideway means having provision for retaining said prong members against movement relative to said wire, means operable in said guideway upon the leading prong member to dispose the latter at the outlet of said guideway, and means operable to grasp the leading prong member at said outlet for withdrawing a predetermined length of wire from said guideway.

3. Feeding apparatus for flexible conductor wire having'a plurality of electric terminal prong members attached thereto at points spaced longitudinally of said wire, each terminal member being attached adjacent one end thereof to said wire and said wire extending beyond the opposite end of each terminal member, said apparatus comprising guideway means having provision for retaining said prong members against movement relative to said Wire, means operable in said guideway upon the leading prong member to dispose the latter at the outlet of said guideway, and means operable to grasp the leading prong member at said outlet for Withdrawing a predetermined length of wire from said guideway, and means at the entrance to said guideway for positioning said prongs in a predetermined plane in which they are retained in said 1 guideway.

4. Feeding apparatus for flexible conductor wire having a plurality of electric terminal prong members attached thereto at points spaced longitudinally of said wire, each terminal member being attached adjacent one end thereof to said wire and said wire extending beyond the opposite end of each terminal member, said apparatus comprising opposed spaced wall portions defining a longitudinally extending guideway for said length of wire, said wall portions having openings defined therein adjacent the outlet of said guideway, companion grippers operable in 10 said openings, respectively, to engage the leading prong member and to dispose the latter so that one end thereof projects from the outlet of said guideway, and additional companion grippers operable to grasp said projecting end for withdrawing a predetermined length of wire from said guideway.

5. Feeding apparatus for flexible conductor wire having a plurality of electric terminal prong members attached thereto at points spaced longitudinally of said wire, said apparatus comprising carriage means mounted for reciprocation relative to an assembly station, guideway means provided on said carriage for said flexible conductor, means operable in said guideway to engage the leading prong member and dispose the latter at the outlet of said guideway, and slide means provided on said carriage means for reciprocation in a direction transversely of the direction of reciprocation of the latter, said slide means having provision to grasp the leading prong member at said outlet for Withdrawing a predetermined length of wire from said guideway during movement of said carriage to said assembly station, whereby said predetermined length of wire provided with the leading prong member is disposed at said assembly station by said carriage means.

6. Feeding apparatus for flexible conductor wire 'having a plurality of electric terminal prong members attached thereto at points spaced longitudinally of said wire, said apparatus comprising carriage means mounted for reciprocation relative to an assembly station, guideway means provided on said carriage for said flexible conductor, means operable in said guideway to engage the leading prong member and dispose the latter at the outlet of said guideway, and slide means provided on said carriage means for reciprocation in a direction transversely of the direction of reciprocation of the latter, said slide means having provision to grasp the leading prong member at said outlet for withdrawing a predetermined length of Wire from said guideway during movement of said carriage to said assembly station, whereby said predetermined length of wire provided with the leading prong member is disposed at said assembly station by said carriage means, and means for operating said prong disposing means under the control of said withdrawing means.

7. Feeding apparatus for flexible conductor wire having a plurality of electric terminal prong members attached thereto at points spaced longitudinally of said wire, said apparatus comprising carriage means mounted for reciprocation relative to an assembly station, guideway means provided on said carriage for said flexible conductor, means operable in said guideway to engage the leading prong member and dispose the latter at the outlet of said guideway, and slide means provided on said carriage means for reciprocation in a direction transversely of the direction of reciprocation of the latter, said slide means having provision to grasp the leading prong member at said outlet for withdrawing a predetermined length of wire from said guideway during movement of said carriage to said assembly station, whereby said predetermined length of wire provided with the leading prong member is disposed at said assembly station by said carriage means, and means for positioning a control member at said assembly station in timed relation to the reciprocation of said carriage means for assembly thereof with said predetermined length of wire.

8. In a machine for manufacturing a sub-unit for an electric circuit breaker, said sub-unit comprising a con trol member, a terminal member and a flexible wire connected between said member, means for positioning a control member at an assembly station for assembly with a length of flexible wire provided with a terminal member, and carrier means mounted for reciprocation relative to said assembly station for disposing said length of wire in position relative to said control member, said carrier means being provided with feeding means for flexible conductor wire provided with a plurality of terminal members attached thereto at points spaced longitudinally'of said wire, and said feeding means having provision to withdraw from a supply thereof a predetermined length of Wire provided with the leading terminal member in timed relation with the movement of said reciprocating means toward said assembly station whereby said predetermined length is in position for assembly with said control member, means at said assembly station for securing said predetermined length of wire to said control member, and severing means carried by said carrier means and positioned thereby at said assembly station for operation by said securing means to sever said withdrawn length of wire, said securing means being a welding device provided with a reciprocating electrode, and said severing means being a pivotally mounted cutter which is disposed in the path of movement of said electrode by said carrier means.

9. In a machine for manufacturing a sub-unit for an electric circuit breaker, said sub-unit comprising a con trol member, a terminal member and a flexible wire connected between said member, means for positioning a control member at an assembly station for assembly with a length of flexible wire provided with a terminal member, and carrier means mounted for reciprocation relative to said assembly station for disposing said length of wire in position relative to said control member, said carrier means being provided with feeding means for flexible conductor wire provided with a plurality of terminal members attached thereto at points spaced longitudinally of said wire, and said feeding means having provision to withdraw from a supply thereof a predetermined length of wire provided with the leading terminal member in timed relation with the movement of said reciprocating means toward said assembly station whereby said predetermined length is in position for assembly with said control member, means at said assembly station for securing said predetermined length of wire to said control member, and severing means carried by said carrier means and positioned thereby at said assembly station for operation by said securing means to sever said withdrawn length of wire, said securing means being a welding device provided with a reciprocating electrode, and said severing means being a pivotally mounted cutter which is disposed in the path of movement of said electrode by said carrier means, said cutter having a U-shaped member through which said electrode moves for operating said cutter and for securing said predetermined length of wire to said control member.

10. The method of making subassemblies for circuit breakers or the like, each subassembly having two metal parts of dilferent forms united to a piece of flexible metallic braid and with said parts separated from each other by a connecting length of said braid, said method including the steps of uniting a series of metal parts of one of said forms to a continuous length of flexible metallic braid at intervals long enough to provide each said united part with a said connecting length of braid and the thus united metal parts and braid constituting a supply of units each including one of said united parts and a connecting length of braid, mechanically feeding said supply of units successively to a uniting device, mechanically presenting a series of metal parts of the second form individually and sequentially'to said uniting device, operating said uniting device to unite each of said second form of parts to each respective unit of said supply at a point spaced by said connecting length of braid from the first form of part previously united thereto, and cutting each said unit from said supply of units.

ll. The method of making subassemblies for circuit breakers or the like, each subassembly having two metal parts of difierent forms united to a piece of flexible metallic braid and With said parts separated from each other by a connecting length of said braid, said method including the steps of uniting a series of metal parts of one of said forms to a continuous length of flexible metallic braid at intervals long enough to provide each said united part with a said connecting length of braid and the thus united metal parts and braid constituting a supply of units each including one of said united parts and a connecting length of braid, mechanically feeding said supply of units successively to a cutting and uniting device, mechanically presenting a series of metal parts of the second form individually and sequentially to said device, and operating said device to out each said unit from the supply of units and to unite each of said second form of parts to each respective unit of said supply at a point spaced by said connecting length of braid from the first form of part previously united thereto.

12. Apparatus for forming a series of subassemblies including first and second metal parts united to a piece of flexible metallic braid and with said first and second parts of each subassembly separated from each other by a connecting length of said braid, said apparatus including uniting means, means to present said first metal parts individually to said uniting means, and braid handling mechanism for presenting said connecting lengths of braid successively to said uniting means, said mechanism having feeding means adapted to advance a continuous length of braid having a series of said second metal parts previously united thereto at intervals along the braid, wherein said intervals provide a said connecting length of braid for each said second part, said uniting means having means for operation thereof to unite said first metal parts to said connecting lengths of braid, respectively.

13. Apparatus for forming a series of subassemblies including first and second metal parts united to a piece of flexible metallic braid and with said first and second parts of each subassembly separated from each other by a connecting length of said braid, said apparatus including uniting means, means to present said first metal parts individually to said uniting means, and braid handling mechanism for presenting said connecting lengths of braid successively to said uniting means, said mechanism having feeding means adapted to advance a continuous length of braid having a series of said second metal parts previously united thereto at intervals along the braid, wherein said intervals provide a said connecting length of braid for each said second part, said uniting means having means for operation thereof to unite said first metal parts to said connecting lengths of braid, respectively, said braid handling mechanism including means cooperating with said second metal parts and arranged relative to said uniting means to cause each connecting length of braid to be disposed at the uniting means in position for a first metal part to be united to the braid at a point separated by such connecting length from a second metal part previously on the braid.

14. Apparatus for forming successive subassemblies for a circuit breaker or the like, said subassemblies including first and second metal parts united to a piece of flexible braid and with said first and second parts of each subassembly separated from each other by a connecting length of said braid, said apparatus including combined uniting and cutting means, means to present said first metal parts individually to the uniting portion of said combined uniting and cutting means, and braid handling mechanism for presenting said connecting lengths of braid successively to said combined cutting and uniting means, said mechanism having feeding means adapted to advance a continuous length of braid having a series of said second metal parts previously united thereto at intervals along the braid, where said intervals provide a said connecting length of braid for each said second part, said combined cutting and uniting means having operating mechanism to cut the endmost connecting length of braid bearing a said second metal part from said continuous length of braid and to unite a said first metal part to said endmost connecting length of braid.

15. Apparatus for forming successive subassemblies for a circuit breaker or the like, said subassemblies including first and second metal parts united to a piece of flexible braid and said first and second parts of each said subassembly separated from each other by a connecting length of said braid, said apparatus including cutting means, uniting means, means to present said first metal parts individually to said uniting means, and braid handling mechanism for presenting said connecting lengths of braid successively to said cutting means and to said uniitng means, said mechanism having feeding means adapted to advance a continuous length of braid having a series of said second metal parts previously united thereto at intervals along the braid, Where said intervals provide a said connecting length of braid for each said second parts, and said cutting means and said uniting means having means for operation thereof to cut said connecting lengths of braid with a said second metal part thereon successively from said continuous length of braid and to unite said first metal parts to said connecting lengths of braid, respectively.

16. Apparatus for forming a series of subassemblies including first and second metal parts united to a piece of flexible metallic braid and with said first and second parts of each subassembly separated from each other by a connecting length of said braid, said apparatus including Welding means, means to present said first metal parts individually to said welding means, and braid handling mechanism for presenting said connecting lengths of braid successively to said welding means, said mechanism having feeding means adapted to advance a continuous length of braid having a series of said second metal parts previously united thereto at intervals along the braid, wherein said intervals provide a said connecting length of braid for each said second part, said Welding means having means for operation thereof to unite said first metal parts to said connecting lengths of braid, respectively, said braid handling mechanism including means operable to grasp the leading one of said second metal parts on said continuous length of braid and reciprocable to dispose the connecting length of braid extending from the grasped one of said second metal parts at the welding means in position for 21 presented first metal part to be united to the braid at a point thereon separated by such connecting length from said grasped second metal part.

17. Apparatus for forming a series of subassemblies for circuit breakers and the like, including first and second metal parts united to a piece of flexible metallic braid and with said first and second parts of each subassembly separated from each other by a connecting length of said braid, said apparatus including welding means and braid cutting means, means to present said first metal parts individually to said welding means, and step-by-step feeding means adapted to advance a continuous length of braid past said Welding means and said cutting means, said continuous length of braid having a series of said second metal parts previously united thereto at intervals along the braid, wherein said intervals provide a said connecting length of braid for each said second part, said Welding means and said cutting means having actuating means for operation thereof to unite said first metal parts to said connecting lengths of braid, respectively, and to out said continuous length of braid into said pieces, said braid handling mechanism including means operable to grasp the leading one of said second metal parts on said continuous length of braid and reciprocable to tension and advance the continuous length of braid and to dispose said braid at the welding means and at the cutting means in position for cutting a said connecting length of braid with a said second metal part at one end thereof from said continuous length of braid and in position for a presented first metal part to be united to the braid at a point thereon separated by a said connecting length from a said second metal part.

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